Train-number indicator for locomotives.



V H. J. SMALL. TRAIN NUMBER INDICATOR FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 27,1908.

Patented May 4, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

V 4 H a; SMALL. TBA-IE NUMBER INDICATOR FOB. LOUOMOTIVES.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT. 27, 1908.

Patented May 4, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HIllllllllllllllllfllllllllllllllfllm MlllllllflllllllllHIIMHIIIIWIII WITNESSES ZEE'NRY J. SMALL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

TRAIN-NUMBER INDICATOR FUR JUDCUMUTIM.

Specification of Letters katen't.

Patented: May t, 1909.

Application'filed Gctober 27, 190B. -Se1-ia11-1'o.d59,7d-t.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HENRY J. SMALL, of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have'invented a certain new and useful Improvement inwhereby the number of a train hauled by a locomotive may be clearly indicated to and distinguished by an observer at a station or on the line of road as the locomotive approaches and passes him.

The improvement claimed is hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side view, in elevation, of the forward upper portion of a locomotive, illustrating an application of my invention; Fig. 2, a front view of the same; Fig. 3, a plan or top view; Fig, l a, front view, onan enlarged scale, of an indicator, detached; Fig. 5, a transverse central section through the same, and Fig. 6, a horizontal section.

In the practice of my invention, 1 provide an indicator casing, 1, the top, bottom, sides, and back of which are preferably, as shown,

formed of sheet metal, and which is of sufficient height and depth to contain an illuminating means, as a lamp, 2, which is insertible and removable through an opening in the back of the casing, closed by a door, 1 Draft holes, 1*, are formed in the bottom of the casing, and a entilator, 1, having a plurality of ventilating holes, 1 is connected removably to the top of the casing. An ordinary oil lamp is shown in the drawings as the illuminating means, but an acetylene gas burner, or an incandescent electric lamp, may be used, accordingly as may be preferred. The rear wall of the casing, 1, is whitened or polished, and constitutes a reflector, which may be in the form of a parabolic curve, which will enable a single lighting appliance to illuminate the entire surface.

An outer rectangular metallic frame, 3, is fixed to, and extends across, the front of the casing, 1, and an'inner rectangular frame, 4, composed of top and bottom bars connected by end and intermediate rails, is connected to the casing, a short distance behind the outer frame. The space between the outer and inner frames is closed, at one end, by the side wall of the casing, 1, and, at the other end, by --a hinged side door,-5, and said space serves "as .a receptaeie for a front plate, '6, of

plain or transparent glass, which fits against the outer frame, 3, and closes the front of the casing, and which, to facilitate application and admit of the use of ordinary window glass, consists of a plurality of adjoining sections, as, say, four, and for a plurality of light metal plate holders, 7, located, side by side, behind the front, 6, each of which plate holders is adapted to receive andhold a backing plate, 8, of translucent glass, 8, which' may be of white, opal, or any other preferred color, and a marker plate, 9. The marker plates may be made of sheet metal, paste board, or other suitable opaque material, painted black, and a letter, figure, or other designation, is cut out of each, in the manner of a stencil plate, as shown in Fig. 4. Being set on the outside of the backing plates, 8, the designations of the marker plates are plainly shown by the exposed portions of the backing plates, which are prominently marked by the surrounding black surfaces of the marker plates, and the designations are thus clearly shown, either in the daytime or when the light of the illuminating means is reflected on them at night.

In order to locate the indicator in the most desirable position for observation, as

on each side of the locomotive, these being located at any suitableand desired angle, as shown in Fig. 3. An acetylene gas tank, 13,

is shown in Fig; 1, as supported on the running board, 14, and a gas supply pipe, 15, extends from said gas tank, through the hand rail, which is hollow, to a suitable burner, located centrally in the casing, 1. It will be obvious that if it is desired to use an incandescent lamp as the. illuminating means of the indicator, "the conducting wire may be similarly led thereto through the hand rail.

I claim as my invention and desireto secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of an indicator casing, having a rear and a side opening, doors con trolling said openings, an outer frame fixed to said casing, a transparent front plate fitting against said frame and closing the front of the casing, opa ue marker plates having cut out or stencile designations and insertible behind the front plate through the side opening of the casing, translucent backing plates similarly insertible in the casing behind the marker plates, and an illuminating means insertible in the casing through the rear opening thereof.

2. The combination, with a locomotive, of a, support fixed to the smoke box, an indicater casing supported on said bracket, a

1 l l l plurality of opaque mailiei plates hayingcut out or stenciled designations and a plurality of translucent backing plates in said casing, illuminatinguneans located in said casing behind said plates, a hollow handrail extending adjacent to the smoke box, and means for supplying an illuminating medium through said hand rail.

- HENRY J. SMALL.

Witnes'ses:

H; H. 'HUMMEL, BEN BART-ON. 

